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When Anatoly Malykhin made the decision to switch his focus from competing in wrestling to becoming an MMA fighter, he did so with a solid foundation.
His wrestling background was clearly his biggest weapon early on in his career, as he dominated opponents on the floor and wore them down.
The undefeated Russian also used some submission skills that he had picked up along the way, which made him more well-rounded than many who would be making the jump.
During his ascension to becoming a three-weight world champion, he has become more known for his speed and striking skills, which he has developed in recent years.
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Due to the threat he presents on the ground, opponents are forced to try to deal with his striking game, but none have been able to answer this problem yet.
In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Malykhin told the story of how his passion and dedication for being in the gym allowed him to bolt some submission threats onto his game at an early stage:
"Very easy. Guys came in when I was training in freestyle wrestling. We had training from 6 to 8 am, then grapplers came in to train. I would stay because there was nothing to do at home, I didn't want to go anywhere, so I would train with them, and they would show me moves. Just from staying behind an hour, I learned some submissions."
Watch the full interview below:
Anatoly Malykhin is dangerous everywhere
It's rare to see heavyweight MMA competitors that have the versatility of Anatoly Malykhin.
Due to their sheer size, most athletes bring real knockout power to the table, but Malykhin is far more than just a wrestler with heavy hands.
His striking has drastically improved during his time at ONE Championship, and this is sure to be on full display in the first defense of his heavyweight world championship in the main event of ONE 169.
Tickets for ONE Championship's debut in Atlanta on November 8, headlined by Malykhin vs 'Reug Reug' Oumar Kane, are available via Ticketmaster.
